Anyone who’s been reading this dear column of mine knows that I’ve been on the non-alcoholic path for a myriad of reasons; although I’d be a liar if I said that the recent price hikes didn’t have a big part to play in my decision.

I mean, it’s not right that beer prices should go up without even giving some of us, loyal, customers three months warning so that we’d be able to stock up. But funnily enough, there is one drink that has refused to heed the global food price increase - Uganda Waragi.

East Africa’s favourite spirit, aptly called the Spirit of Uganda, has not gone up a penny in a few years. It has cost Frw1,500 ever since I could remember; anyone who can remember it being cheaper has been drinking a bit TOO long.

Anyway, ever since the Shady Bar was demolished by the Kirabo Crew, we, the Ugly Munkiz, have been homeless without a bar to call our own. But like the smart chaps that we are, we decided to start drinking at home.

One of the Munkiz home in Kimihurura…in fact, we go there so often that it’s now known as the Munki Tree. So, instead of sitting in a noisy bar arguing with the lazy waitresses and waiting, with bated breath, for the bill after a hard nights drinking, we can now sit in sofas while swilling vodka that we’ve already paid for. Lovely.

Anyway, as usual on a Friday night, we were at the Munki Tree, doing what we do best: talking football, politics and drinking.

The other Munkiz had bought some strange manner of vodka that was 50 per cent alcohol. 50 per cent! Now, if you’ve never tried this stuff…don’t!

I gave that poison one look and unscrewed that Waragi that I’d wisely brought. You know how the first sip of any hard drink gives you goosebumps…but half a glass later you are quaffing it down like its water?

Well, that’s the way things were going down. The Waragi was giving my liver quite a thrashing (i.e. I was getting drunk)…and the next thing I thought about were shaking a leg and seeing some women (and not particularly in that order). We jumped into a pickup and went to Orion.

Yes, yes…Orion. Many interesting nights end up in this place. If you don’t understand the rule of that place, let me give you the lowdown on this place. It’s a cheap club (entrance is Frw1,000, unlike B-Club, that accursed place, where entrance is Frw5,000), it’s convenient (it’s at One Love) and the drinks are normally priced.

In other words, a quarter of Waragi is Frw1, 500 francs. It is that it’s always packed to the brim. Like I said earlier; lovely.
We got there, grabbed drinks (that we didn’t really need…but we were too far gone to think straight) and made a beeline for the girls.

From about two that night, I can’t really remember anything. All I can remember is that I was wooing some girl (I could barely speak English by that time) and making an utter fool of myself. In other words, it was a very good night.

Contact: madogz2002@yahoo